Act I Vocabulary
The Crucible
Predilection
• preference
• His predilection for
debate led to many
interesting discussions.
Autocracy
• dictatorship
• Hitler’s Germany was an
autocracy.
Trepidation
• fear
• Having a fear of flying in
an airplane, she
approached the
upcoming flight with
trepidation.
Calumny
• slander
• After the newspaper
called him a crook, the
politician threatened to
sue the publisher for
calumny.
Prodigious
• Amazing and powerful
• The congregation
viewed the painting of
the crying Madonna as
a prodigious sign from
God.
Iniquity
• Wickedness
• The Puritans also
believed that the Devil
could tempt them to
iniquity.
Inculcation
• Act of impressing on
the mind
• Children may learn
prejudice by the
inculcation of hate by
adults.
Abrogation
• Annulment
• The abrogation of the
trade agreement would
make commerce more
difficult between the
two countries.
Propitiation
• Attempt to make
favorably inclined
• After the argument, the
husband’s propitiation
of his wife included
buying her flowers and
admitting he was
wrong.
Licentious
• Morally loose
• While we consider
dancing perfectly tame,
to the Puritans it was
licentious behavior.
Act II
The Crucible
Vocabulary
We observed her paleness and
weakness as she tried to stand up after
being bedridden for two weeks.
• Pallor
In order to improve a bad
situation, you must first devise a
plan to change it.
• Ameliorate
In fairy tales, a witch is often a
withered old woman.
• Crone
Although you are a vegetarian,
don’t be reluctant to allow me the
pleasure of eating a hamburger.
• Begrudge
In many Asian countries old people
are treated with courteous respect.
• Deference
Studying to be a minister, the
young man took many courses in
religious philosophy.
• Theology
When he is invested with official
authority as minister, he will return
home to serve the poor of his
community.
• Ordained
The contents of a dented can might
be contaminated.
• Tainted
The new father handled his infant
very carefully.
• Gingerly
The Puritans believed in swift
retribution for even a hint of speech or
action showing contempt for God.
• Blasphemy
Other Words to add
• Conjured- Summoned by
oath or spell
• Faction- A small group
within a larger group
• Abomination-Things that
elicit dislike
• Inert-unable to move or
act
• Partisan-militant
supporter of a party,
cause, faction or idea